Three Simple Words
by ilovetvalot
Summary: Written in response to the TV Prompt Challenge: What I Like About You - "I'll love you...Soon". Three little words. Simple, right? But, for a man like him, impossible to speak aloud. Hotch/Prentiss


**Author's Note: Hello, Readers! Once again, thank you to everyone that has been reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories.**

**We'd like to take this opportunity to announce our Fanfic Challenge - ROUND 2 for July at our forum "Chit Chat on Author's Corner". Signups are through June 30th. This month, you'll simply need to tell us what pairing you normally write, what pairing you'd like to see someone else write, and what Song Title or Movie Title you'd like to see used for inspiration. On July 1st, you'll be pm'd with your assigned pairing and prompt…. and then, just write away! Postings will be due by July 31. Further details can be found at the forum ("Chit Chat on Author's Corner") and a link can be found at our profile pages (ilovetvalot or tonnie2001969)! We had a great turnout for our last challenge and some really excellent fics produced. And, now, we want to make it bigger and better. Come join the fun. You can sign up at the forum or send either tonnie or me a PM! We'd love to hear from you!**

**And again, thanks to Kavi Leighanna and Sienna27 for their awesome Television Prompt forum!**

**Three Simple Words**

_**TV Title Prompt: What I Like About You: I Love You... Soon**_

Aaron Hotchner was at a loss. And this was not a condition that he handled well or easily. And all because of one special and unique woman.

Emily Prentiss.

He knew how he felt. He'd known for years what that fluttering in his chest every time he heard that precise, lilting voice of hers meant. Didn't mean he liked it, though.

He'd tried ignoring it, relegating those softening feelings he'd been experiencing for the past three years to the farthest corners of his mind. To no avail. Because in the stillness, those moments when it was just him and his thoughts, images of her and their times together were what filled his consciousness.

And then, after Foyet's brutal attack on his body and psyche alike, he'd finally admitted the truth to himself. He'd even said the words aloud, albeit alone in his bathroom, staring into the mirror at his own reflection. But, he had said them.

Now, he had to somehow find the courage to verbalize what existed in his heart. To her. Aloud. No, small feat for a man that normally compartmentalized anything he didn't want to face. But, then again, Prentiss would understand that sentiment well.

When he looked at his problem from a clinical standpoint, he could see the source of his unease easily. The words he needed to say wielded unimaginable power for the recipient. Once said, they could never be called back. At least not by a man such as himself.

And that thought scared him. Tremendously.

Not because he didn't trust Emily. He did. Implicitly. It was because he'd trusted in those words once before. And he'd failed miserably.

He reminded himself for the millionth time that Emily wasn't Haley. That she understood him in ways his one-time wife had never even began to comprehend. All that, however, did not eliminate the sad fact that he'd been burned once before.

No, strike that. He hadn't been burned. He'd been scalded. And he had the scars on his soul to prove it.

Countless times over the past month he had tried to vocalize those elusive words while they'd sat in companionable silence at one of their apartments. Her with some random book, him with a case file strewn across his lap as Jack had played quietly between them. But, each time those meaningful words had choked him, rendering him speechless.

The hard truth was that those three little words came with strings. Messy, complicated, intractable strings. In his world, that simple phrase was a binding promise. A promise that he meant to keep this time around.

Which meant he needed to feel entirely sure of himself when he delivered the message.

He'd tell her. And he'd tell her soon.

_**Finis**_


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